Ruth C. Kalchik, Died July 10, 2020

Ruth C. Kalchik

Died July 10, 2020

Ruth Cornelia Kalchik, 83, of Lake Leelanau, was called home to be with Our Lord and joined her husband Victor in heaven on Friday, July 10^th, 2020 in Temecula, California, in her daughter’s home surrounded by family.  Ruth is now at peace having received the Church’s Sacraments and having family present for her passing into Eternal Life.

Ruth was born February 28, 1937 to David and Laura (Brow) Couturier on their family farm in Lake Leelanau, Michigan. Ruth, one of 11 children, moved to Traverse City to work as a waitress after graduating from St. Mary’s Catholic School in 1956. It was during this time, 

Ruth was set up on a blind date with Victor Kalchik, who was on-leave from the army. Their relationship continued through lively correspondence taking them through Vic’s military service and onto finding a steady job located in Chicago, Illinois. Once established in Chicago, Victor proposed to Ruth. They married at Saint Mary’s Church, Lake Leelanau, Michigan, September 28, 1957, but Chicago, Illinois would become their home.

Ruth and Vic dreamed of having a large family, but they met hardship along their way. After their second child, Daniel, had died as an infant, this young couple found solace and consolation from their strong faith as Roman Catholics at Saint Gertrude’s Parish, Franklin Park, Illinois, by serving in many capacities as lay leaders for over 34 years.

They showed their children how to be true servants of God in many ways. One of them was by sharing their home to foreign exchange students, foster children, elderly, and other young adults. Among the many ministries Ruth was involved in: sewing vestments and linens for the church, teaching religious education, running the ministers of care program, bringing the Holy Eucharist to the homebound, serving on the pastoral/school boards and much more.

Ruth and Vic moved back to Lake Leelanau, Michigan, for their retirement years in 1995. It was here that Ruth helped raise money for the Church with the other quilters at St. Mary’s Church. She had also sung in the choir, was a lector, and served as a Eucharistic Minister.

We will miss Ruth’s radiant smile and contagious laugh, her assistance with a needle and a thread as she was an amazing seamstress, her experience with canning and making jams, her amazing homemade bread, pies, and dinners and her motherly love she shared with so many people.

Ruth is survived by her children, David (Toby), Paul, Andrew (Michelle), Laura Wise, Teresa (Erik Skieller), Sandra Fruehe (Daniel), Nadine Gay (Robert); her siblings, Luella Neff Furnish (Dale), David J. (Dorothy), Bernard (Martha), Alvin (Vicki), Leonard (Delores), Anna May Kelenske (Jerry), Linus (Loretta); grandchildren, Brandi, Joshua, Miles, Haley, Dylan, Stephanie (Chris), Rachel (Randy), Noelle, Michael, Silke (Mads), Nathan, Zachary, Adam, Olivia (Alex), Austin (Mehgan), Vivian; great-grandchildren, Sofia, Josefine, Amalie, Isaac, Lucas, Matthew, Ethan, Abella, Leland; and many nieces and nephews. 

Ruth was proceeded in death by Victor, husband for 62 years; her parents, David and Laura; her son, Daniel; her son in law, Patrick Wise; her siblings, Raphael, Gerald, Eloise Walters; brothers in law, Firmin Walters and Philip Neff; and sisters in law, Lorraine Couturier, and Lesley Couturier.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, August 14 with a 7 p.m. recitation of the Rosary at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Lake Leelanau, Michigan.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 15 at Saint Mary’s Cemetery, 502 S. Lake Leelanau Drive (Co Rd 641), Lake Leelanau, MI 49653 followed by interment.

In lieu of flowers consider donating to Saint Mary’s School, PO Box 340, Lake Leelanau, MI 49653; a favorite charity of Ruth and Victor Kalchik over the course of their lives.

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